JP2011028283A - Electro-optical device and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve display quality and yield by reducing in-plane variations in spacing between a first substrate and a second substrate. <P>SOLUTION: A first substrate 51 on which a driving transistor 24 is formed and a second substrate 52 on which an organic electroluminescent element 25 is formed are bonded with an insulating adhesive 55 containing a spacer 54. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus including the same. Here, the “electro-optical device” means a general device including an electro-optical element that emits light by electrical action or changes the state of light from the outside. The device that emits light by itself and the passage of light from the outside Including those that control For example, as an electro-optic element, a liquid crystal element, an electrophoretic element, an EL (electroluminescence) element, an active matrix display device provided with an electron-emitting element that emits light by applying electrons generated by applying an electric field to a light-emitting plate, and the like Say.

  As an electro-optical device, for example, an organic electroluminescence display device is known. The organic electroluminescence display device has characteristics such as a thin and light weight, a high viewing angle, and a high contrast as compared with a liquid crystal display device that precedes as a display device. Further, as described in Patent Document 1, an active matrix method is used. By driving with, high-definition, low power consumption, and long life can be achieved.

  In particular, as described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, a first substrate on which an organic electroluminescence element is formed and a second substrate on which a pixel circuit for controlling light emission of the organic electroluminescence element is formed. Are bonded so that the organic electroluminescence element and the pixel circuit face each other, and in the organic electroluminescence display device in which the organic electroluminescence element and the pixel circuit are electrically connected, light emission from the organic electroluminescence element is organic. Since it passes through the 1st board | substrate with which the electroluminescent element is formed, and it is visually recognized by an observer, since it is not shielded by a pixel circuit, wiring, etc., an aperture ratio improves dramatically. As a result, further reduction in power consumption, higher definition, and longer life can be achieved, and further, the design and manufacturing process of the pixel circuit and the organic electroluminescence element can be individually optimized.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-24048 JP-A-10-333601 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-3048

  However, the organic electroluminescence display devices disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 have a problem that in-plane variation is likely to occur in the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate due to the distortion of the substrate.

  In particular, when the organic electroluminescence element and the pixel circuit are connected by a conductive adhesive, the conductive adhesive is crushed in a place where the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is small, so that the current flows in a shorter direction. And since it spreads along the surface which is straight in the direction in which the current flows, the electric resistance becomes small. On the other hand, in a place where the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is large, the electrical resistance of the conductive adhesive is increased. As a result, variation occurs in the electric resistance of the conductive adhesive, resulting in variation in the light emission luminance of the organic electroluminescence element, resulting in luminance unevenness.

  In addition, in a place where the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is larger than the thickness of the conductive adhesive, the organic electroluminescence element and the pixel circuit cannot be electrically connected, and the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is too small. At the place, the conductive adhesive spreads in the lateral direction, causing a short circuit between adjacent pixel circuits, adjacent organic electroluminescence elements, and the like, and the manufacturing yield is significantly reduced.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electro-optical device that solves the above-described problems.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first substrate on which the electro-optic element is formed and the second substrate on which the pixel circuit is formed are bonded together so that the electro-optic element and the pixel circuit face each other. In the electro-optical device in which an optical element and the pixel circuit are electrically connected, a spacer is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect, it is possible to accurately control the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate due to the presence of the spacer, and it is possible to obtain an electro-optical device free from luminance unevenness with a high yield.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the first aspect, the spacer is a spherical or cylindrical particle.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect, since the height of the spacer does not depend on the direction of the spacer, the spacer can be arranged by a simple method such as a printing method or a spraying method, and the first substrate and the second substrate can be arranged. It becomes possible to control the space | interval of a board | substrate with high precision.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the second aspect, the first substrate and the second substrate are joined by an insulating adhesive containing the spacer. It is an optical device.

  According to the structure of Claim 3, since the process of arrange | positioning the insulating adhesive for joining a 1st board | substrate and a 2nd board | substrate and the process of arrange | positioning a spacer can be combined, it becomes possible to reduce manufacturing cost. . In addition, since the spacer is fixed by an insulating adhesive, the electro-optic element and the pixel circuit due to the movement of the spacer are not damaged, and the manufacturing yield can be further increased.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the second aspect, the electro-optical element and the pixel circuit are connected by a conductive adhesive, and the spacer is contained in the conductive adhesive. This is an electro-optical device.

  According to the structure of Claim 4, since the process of arrange | positioning a spacer and the process of arrange | positioning a conductive adhesive can be combined, it becomes possible to reduce manufacturing cost. In addition, since the spacer is fixed by the conductive adhesive, the electro-optic element and the pixel circuit due to the movement of the spacer are not damaged, and the manufacturing yield can be further increased. Furthermore, since the spacer is present in the conductive adhesive, the height of the conductive adhesive can be controlled more precisely, so that the luminance unevenness can be further suppressed.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the fourth aspect, the spacer has conductivity.

  According to the configuration of the fifth aspect, it is possible to prevent an increase in connection resistance between the electro-optic element and the pixel circuit even when the conductive adhesive contains a spacer. As a result, the drive voltage and power consumption can be reduced.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the first aspect, the spacer is made of a photosensitive resin material, and a photo is placed at a predetermined position on one or both of the first substrate and the second substrate. An electro-optical device is formed by using lithography.

  According to the configuration of the sixth aspect, since the spacer can be accurately formed in a desired shape and in a desired position, the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate can be controlled with higher accuracy.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the first aspect, the spacer is a reverse tapered partition provided so as to surround the electro-optical element on the first substrate. An electro-optical device.

  According to the configuration of the seventh aspect, the spacer can be used as a cathode separator of the electro-optical element. The cathode separator here is a member that can cut the cathode at the reverse taper when the cathode of the electro-optic element is formed by vapor deposition or the like. Forming the cathode separator on the first substrate eliminates the need for a mask for vapor deposition of the cathode and eliminates the step of aligning the substrate and the mask. In addition, the manufacturing process can be further shortened and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the second aspect, the spacer includes a plastic as a main component.

  When using a spacer to control the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, it is necessary to crimp the first substrate and the second substrate with the spacer interposed therebetween. Since stress concentrates on the portion to be contacted and the portion where the spacer and the second substrate are in contact with each other, there is a possibility that the electro-optic element or the element constituting the pixel circuit is destroyed. According to the structure of Claim 6, it becomes possible to relieve the stress concentrated on the part where the spacer contacts the first substrate and the part where the spacer contacts the second substrate due to the moderate elasticity of the spacer. As a result, it is possible to prevent the electro-optic element or the elements constituting the pixel circuit from being destroyed.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the first to eighth aspects, the spacer and the electro-optical element are arranged so as not to have a portion overlapping the normal direction of the first substrate. It is an electro-optical device characterized by that.

  When using a spacer to control the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, it is necessary to crimp the first substrate and the second substrate with the spacer interposed therebetween. Since stress concentrates on the portion to be subjected to, if the spacer and the electro-optic element are arranged so as to have a portion overlapping in the normal direction of the first substrate, the electro-optic element may be destroyed. According to the configuration of the ninth aspect, it is possible to prevent the electro-optical element from being destroyed.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the first to ninth aspects, the element constituting the pixel circuit and the spacer do not have a portion overlapping the normal direction of the second substrate. The electro-optical device is characterized in that it is arranged in the above.

  When the first substrate and the second substrate are pressure-bonded with the spacer interposed, stress concentrates on the contact portion between the spacer and the second substrate, so that the elements constituting the pixel circuit and the spacer are normal to the second substrate. If the elements are arranged so as to overlap each other in the direction, there is a possibility that elements constituting the pixel circuit may be destroyed. According to the configuration of claim 10, destruction of elements constituting the pixel circuit is prevented. It becomes possible.

  According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the electro-optical device according to the first to tenth aspects, the pixel circuit is formed of a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor.

  According to the configuration of the eleventh aspect, since the unevenness on the surface of the pixel circuit can be minimized, it is easy to control the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate using the spacer, and the pixel circuit has sufficient driving capability. Can be manufactured.

  A twelfth aspect of the present invention includes the electro-optical device according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects.

1 is a circuit diagram of a pixel circuit used in an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel of a first substrate used in an embodiment of the present invention. The top view for one pixel of the 2nd board | substrate used for one Example of this invention. Sectional drawing for the 1 pixel of the 2nd board | substrate used for one Example of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Sectional drawing of the organic electroluminescent display apparatus which is one Example of this invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel of a first substrate used in an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Sectional drawing of the organic electroluminescent display apparatus which is one Example of this invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel of a first substrate used in an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Sectional drawing of the organic electroluminescent display apparatus which is one Example of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Hereinafter, an organic electroluminescence element (display device) will be described as an example, but the scope of application of the present invention is not limited thereto.

  FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an organic electroluminescence display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, one pixel includes a pixel circuit 21 and an organic electroluminescence element 25. One pixel circuit 21 includes a selection transistor 22, a storage capacitor 23, a drive transistor 24, and an organic electroluminescence element 25. The gate of the selection transistor 22 is connected to the scanning line 26, and the source of the selection transistor 22 is connected to the signal line 27. The drain of the selection transistor 22 is connected to one terminal of the storage capacitor 23, the other terminal of the storage capacitor 23 is connected to the power supply line 28, the gate of the drive transistor 24 is connected to the drain of the selection transistor 22, and the source of the drive transistor 24 is connected to the power supply line. 28, the drain of the driving transistor 24 is connected to the cathode of the electroluminescence element 25, and the anode of the electroluminescence element 25 is kept at a predetermined potential.

  When the selection transistor 22 is turned on via the scanning line 26, a voltage corresponding to the luminance is applied to the holding capacitor 23 and the gate of the driving transistor 24 via the signal line 27, and the organic electroluminescence element 25 has a desired luminance. Flashes on. Even after the selection transistor 22 is turned off, the voltage held in the storage capacitor 23 is applied to the gate of the drive transistor 24, so that the organic electroluminescence element 25 continues to emit light with a desired luminance.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel of the first substrate of the organic electroluminescence display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the first substrate has an anode 11 made of a transparent conductive material, an organic light emitting layer 14, a cathode 15, and a partition wall 12 on the substrate 10, and the anode 11 and the organic light emitting layer 14. The cathode 15 constitutes one organic electroluminescence element 25.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing process of the first substrate in this embodiment will be described.

  First, a 0.7 mm thick glass substrate was prepared as the substrate 10, and the anode 11 was formed on the substrate 10. As the anode 11, in order to take out the light emitted from the organic light emitting layer 14 from the substrate 10 side, ITO (indium tin oxide) which is a transparent conductive material was used, and a film of 50 nm was formed on the substrate 10 by sputtering.

  Next, the partition wall 12 was formed as a partition member for accurately partitioning the organic light emitting layer 14. The partition wall 12 is required to appropriately repel the solution of the organic light emitting material and to be formed with a thickness of about several μm. In this embodiment, the partition wall 12 is formed with a thickness of 2 μm using a photosensitive acrylic resin.

  Next, the organic light emitting layer 14 was formed by the inkjet method. Examples of the material of the organic light emitting layer 14 include polymer light emitting materials such as PPV (polyparaphenylene vinylene) and polyfluorene. Further, if necessary, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, and the like can be laminated to form the organic light emitting layer 14. In this example, prior to dropping the light emitting material solution, PEDOT (polyethylenedioxythiophene) was dropped into a region surrounded by the partition wall 12 by an ink jet device to form a hole injection layer. Thereafter, rhodamine 101 added to PPV in the red pixel, PPV in the green pixel, and polydioctylfluorene in the blue pixel are used as the light emitting materials, and the partition wall 12 is formed using an inkjet device. The organic light emitting layer 14 was formed by dropping in the enclosed region.

  Next, the cathode 15 was formed by evaporating a cathode material through a mask. As a material for the cathode 15, a metal having a work function as small as possible is suitable so that electrons can be efficiently injected into the organic light emitting layer 14. For example, calcium, magnesium, or alloys or compounds thereof can be used. . In order to prevent these cathode materials from being oxidized by oxygen or moisture, it is preferable to form a relatively stable metal such as aluminum or silver on the cathode material. In this example, calcium was vapor-deposited on the organic light emitting layer 14 with a thickness of 50 nm, and aluminum was vapor-deposited thereon with a thickness of 250 nm to form the cathode 15.

  The first substrate was manufactured as described above. In this embodiment, a high-molecular light-emitting material is formed as the organic light-emitting layer 14 by an inkjet method, but a low-molecular light-emitting material such as Alq3 (aluminum quinolinol complex) can also be formed by a vapor deposition method or the like. It is.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of one pixel of the second substrate of the organic electroluminescence display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. One pixel circuit 21 includes a selection transistor 22, a storage capacitor 23, and a drive transistor 24.

  FIG. 4 is a drawing of a CD cross section of FIG. The drive transistor 24 formed on the substrate 10 includes an active layer 32, a source 33, a drain 34, a gate insulating film 35, and a gate electrode 36. The source of the drive transistor 24 is driven to the power line 28. The drain of the transistor 24 is connected to the pixel electrode 42 through the electrode pad 40.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing process of the second substrate in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, as described in claim 11, a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor having a polycrystalline silicon thin film as a semiconductor layer is used as the selection transistor 22 and the driving transistor 24.

  As the substrate 10, non-alkali glass having a thickness of 0.7 mm was used. In the case of the present embodiment, since the light emitted from the organic electroluminescence element is taken out to the first substrate side, the substrate 10 does not need to be transparent, but the existing polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor manufacturing apparatus is used as it is. A substrate was used.

  First, after depositing an amorphous silicon thin film on the substrate 10 using a PECVD apparatus, the amorphous silicon thin film was irradiated with an excimer laser to obtain a polycrystalline silicon thin film having a thickness of 50 nm. The polycrystalline silicon thin film thus formed was patterned into an island shape by photolithography and etching.

Next, a 75 nm thick SiO ₂ thin film was formed using a PECVD apparatus to form a gate insulating film 35.

  After forming the gate insulating film 35, phosphorus ions were implanted into the region of the polycrystalline silicon thin film where the storage capacitor 23 was to be formed using an ion implantation apparatus.

  Next, a tantalum thin film having a thickness of 400 nm was formed by sputtering, and this tantalum thin film was patterned into a predetermined shape by photolithography and etching to form a gate electrode 36.

  Next, an impurity was implanted into a region where the source 33 and drain 34 of the polycrystalline silicon thin film were to be formed using an ion implantation apparatus. Note that the selection transistor 22 and the drive transistor 24 can function as a drive circuit even if both are n-type, both are p-type, or one is p-type and the other is n-type. It is preferable to implant phosphorus ions in the region where the transistor is formed and boron ions into the region where the p-type transistor is formed. Further, the impurity implantation is preferably performed in a self-aligning manner using the gate electrode 36 as a mask.

  After the implantation of the impurities was completed, the entire substrate was heated at 400 degrees Celsius for 1 hour to activate the implanted impurities.

  As described above, the drive transistor 24 and the storage capacitor 23 were formed. Note that the selection transistor 22 not shown in FIG.

After forming the driving transistor 24, the selection transistor 22, and the storage capacitor 23, an interlayer insulating film 38 was formed using a PECVD apparatus, and a contact hole was formed by photolithography and etching. The interlayer insulating film 38 is made of SiO ₂ having a thickness of 500 nm.

  Next, the signal line 27, the power supply line 28, and the electrode pad 40 were formed. The signal line 27, the power supply line 28, and the electrode pad 40 are made of aluminum having a thickness of 800 nm, but the thickness of 50 nm prior to the aluminum film formation so that the silicon thin film of the source 33 and the drain 34 is not eroded by the aluminum. Titanium film was formed, and the laminated film of titanium and aluminum was patterned by photolithography and etching.

  Next, after forming a second interlayer insulating film 41 and forming a contact hole, a pixel electrode 42 was formed. The second interlayer insulating film 41 is made of photosensitive acrylic resin, and the pixel electrode 42 is made of aluminum having a thickness of 500 nm.

  A second substrate was manufactured as described above. In this embodiment, only the pixel circuit is manufactured on the second substrate. However, a scanning line driver circuit, a signal line driver circuit, and the like can be integrated as necessary.

  Next, a process of bonding the first substrate and the second substrate manufactured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an organic electroluminescence display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In this embodiment, a conductive adhesive 53 is used to mechanically and electrically connect the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52, and the spacer 54 is included in the conductive adhesive 53 as described in claim 4. By containing the first substrate 51, the distance between the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 was controlled.

  As the conductive adhesive 53, for example, a thermosetting conductive adhesive such as 3300 series of Three Bond Co., Ltd. or CHO-BOND SV712 of Taiyo Wire Net Co., Ltd. can be used. Since a solvent is adversely affected on the organic light emitting layer of the organic electroluminescence device, it is preferable to use an adhesive that does not contain a solvent. In this example, 3301B manufactured by ThreeBond Co., Ltd. was used. This conductive adhesive is a solventless type conductive adhesive that is cured by heating at 120 ° C. for 1 hour.

  As the spacer 54, spherical plastic particles plated with gold were used and mixed with a conductive adhesive at a ratio of 10%.

  After the conductive adhesive 53 mixed with the spacer 54 is printed on the pixel electrode 42 by using a screen printer, the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 are bonded to the cathode 15 and the driving transistor 24 of the organic electroluminescence element 25. The first electrode 51 and the second substrate 52 are brought into pressure contact with each other so that the pixel electrodes 42 face each other, and the oven is heated at 120 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes while purging the oven with nitrogen gas. Then, the conductive adhesive 53 was cured.

  After the conductive adhesive 53 is cured, the bonded first substrate 51 and second substrate 52 are moved into a nitrogen-substituted glove box, and a sealant (on the outer periphery of the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52). The space between the first substrate and the second substrate was completely sealed. As the sealant, a two-component room temperature curing type epoxy adhesive was used, and after application, it was cured by being left overnight in a glove box.

  The organic electroluminescence display device obtained as described above showed no unevenness in brightness and showed good display performance.

  In particular, the inclusion of the spacer 54 in the conductive adhesive 53 as described in claim 4 makes it possible to combine the step of arranging the spacer 54 and the step of arranging the conductive adhesive 53. We were able to lower the cost. Furthermore, since the spacer 54 is fixed by the conductive adhesive 53, damage to the organic electroluminescence element 25 and the pixel circuit 21 due to the movement of the spacer 54 can be prevented. Further, since the spacer 54 is present in the conductive adhesive 53, the height of the conductive adhesive 53 can be precisely controlled.

  In addition, since the spacer 54 is plated, the spacer has conductivity as described in claim 5, so that an increase in connection resistance between the organic electroluminescent element 25 and the pixel circuit 21 can be prevented. As a result, the drive voltage and power consumption can be reduced.

  Further, since the spacer mainly composed of plastic is used as described in claim 8, the portion where the spacer 54 and the first substrate 51 are in contact with each other and the spacer 54 and the second substrate 52 are in contact with each other due to appropriate elasticity of the spacer. The stress concentrated on the part could be relaxed. Thereby, it was possible to prevent the elements constituting the organic electroluminescence element 25 and the pixel circuit 21 from being destroyed.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the first substrate of the organic electroluminescence display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the first substrate has an anode 11 made of a transparent conductive material, an organic light emitting layer 14, a cathode 15, and a partition wall 12 on the substrate 10, and the anode 11 and the organic light emitting layer 14. The cathode 15 constitutes one organic electroluminescence element 25. The configuration of the first substrate in the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the manufacturing process thereof is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment, but the organic electroluminescence element 25 is manufactured slightly smaller.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an organic electroluminescence display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The circuit configuration of the organic electroluminescence display device of this example is the same as that of the first example, and the same substrate as that of the first example is used for the second substrate.

  In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive 53 is used to electrically and mechanically connect the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52, and as described in claim 3, the insulating property containing the spacer 54 is used. The first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 were bonded with an adhesive 55.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing process will be described.

  As described above, the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 used in this embodiment are manufactured in exactly the same steps as in the first embodiment. However, with respect to the first substrate 51, the organic electroluminescence element 25 is manufactured to be slightly smaller, and an insulating adhesive 55 containing a spacer 54 is placed on the screen printing machine at a position away from the organic electroluminescence element 25. Printed.

  As the insulating adhesive 55, a thermosetting epoxy adhesive was used. Further, spherical glass particles were used as the spacer 54 and mixed in the insulating adhesive 55 at a ratio of 15%.

  Next, after the conductive adhesive 53 is printed on the pixel electrode 42 using a screen printer, the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 are bonded to the cathode 15 of the organic electroluminescence element 25 and the pixel of the driving transistor 24. The electrodes 42 are aligned so that they face each other, transferred to the oven with the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 being crimped, and heated by heating at 120 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes while purging the oven with nitrogen gas. The adhesive 53 and the insulating adhesive 55 were cured. The conductive adhesive 53 used was the same as that in the first embodiment.

  After the conductive adhesive 53 and the insulating adhesive 55 are cured, the bonded first substrate 51 and second substrate 52 are moved into a nitrogen-substituted glove box, and the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 are bonded. A sealing agent (not shown) was applied to the outer periphery, and the space between the first substrate and the second substrate was completely sealed. As the sealant, a two-component room temperature curing type epoxy adhesive was used, and after application, it was cured by being left overnight in a glove box.

  The organic electroluminescence display device obtained as described above showed no unevenness in brightness and showed good display performance.

  In particular, the step of arranging the spacer 54 and the insulating adhesive 55 are arranged by joining the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 with the insulating adhesive 55 containing the spacer 54 as described in claim 3. I was able to double as a process. Further, the spacer 54 is fixed by the insulating adhesive 55, and damage to the organic electroluminescence element 25 and the pixel circuit 21 due to the movement of the spacer 54 can be prevented.

  Further, as described in claim 9, since the spacer 54 and the organic electroluminescence element 25 are arranged so as not to overlap each other in the normal direction of the first substrate 51, the organic electroluminescence element 25 by the spacer 54. It was possible to reliably prevent the destruction.

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the first substrate in the organic electroluminescence display device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The circuit configuration of the organic electroluminescence display device of this example is exactly the same as that of the first example.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing process of the first substrate will be described.

  After forming the anode and the partition on the substrate 10 in the same manner as in the first example, the reverse tapered partition 13 was formed. The reverse tapered partition wall 13 is a member that functions not only as a spacer for controlling the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate but also as a cathode separator of the organic electroluminescence element 25.

  The cathode separator here is a member that can cut the cathode at the reverse taper portion when the cathode of the organic electroluminescence element is formed by vapor deposition or the like. Forming the cathode separator on the first substrate eliminates the need for a mask for vapor deposition of the cathode and eliminates the step of aligning the substrate and the mask. By also serving as a spacer, the manufacturing process is further shortened, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  After forming the reverse taper partition wall 13, the organic light emitting layer 14 was formed by an ink jet method in the same manner as in the first example, and a cathode material was deposited thereon. The cathode material was divided for each pixel by the reverse tapered partition wall 13 to form the cathode 15.

  The first substrate was manufactured as described above. The materials for the organic light emitting layer 14 and the cathode 15 were the same as those in the first example.

  FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an organic electroluminescence display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive 53 is used to mechanically and electrically connect the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52, and the reverse tapered partition wall 13 is used as a spacer as described above.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing process will be described.

  The second substrate 52 used in this example is manufactured in exactly the same process as in the first example.

  After the conductive adhesive 53 is printed on the pixel electrode 42 of the second substrate 52 using a screen printer, the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52 are connected to the cathode 15 and the driving transistor 24 of the organic electroluminescence element 25. The first electrode 51 and the second substrate 52 are brought into pressure contact with each other so that the pixel electrodes 42 face each other, and the oven is heated at 120 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes while purging the oven with nitrogen gas. Then, the conductive adhesive 53 was cured. The conductive adhesive 53 was the same as that in the first example.

  After the conductive adhesive 53 is cured, the bonded first substrate 51 and second substrate 52 are moved into a nitrogen-substituted glove box, and a sealant (on the outer periphery of the first substrate 51 and the second substrate 52). The space between the first substrate and the second substrate was completely sealed. As the sealant, a two-component room temperature curing type epoxy adhesive was used, and after application, it was cured by being left overnight in a glove box.

  The organic electroluminescence display device obtained as described above showed no unevenness in brightness and showed good display performance.

  In particular, as described above, the reverse tapered partition wall 13 serves as a cathode separator and a spacer, so that the manufacturing process can be greatly shortened and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Further, as described in claim 9, the reverse tapered partition wall 13 and the organic electroluminescence element 25 functioning as a spacer are arranged so as not to have a portion overlapping the normal direction of the first substrate 51. The destruction of the organic electroluminescence element 25 was reliably prevented.

  Further, as described in claim 10, the inverted tapered partition wall 13 functioning as a spacer and the elements constituting the pixel circuit 21 are arranged so as not to overlap with the normal direction of the first substrate 51. Therefore, it was possible to reliably prevent the elements constituting the pixel circuit 21 from being destroyed by the spacer.

  The display device according to the present invention is applicable to any electronic device. For example, mobile personal computers, mobile phones, viewers, portable information terminals such as game consoles, electronic books, electronic paper, fax machines with display functions, digital camera finders, portable TVs, electronic notebooks, electronic bulletin boards, public notices It can also be used as a display for home use.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be applied to, for example, a case where a drive circuit is constituted by an amorphous silicon thin film transistor or a single crystal silicon transistor, or a case where a low molecular weight organic electroluminescence element is used. It is.

  In the above-described embodiment, the display device using the organic electroluminescence element has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to an inkjet printer head or the like.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Board | substrate, 11 Anode, 12 Partition, 13 Reverse taper partition, 14 Organic light emitting layer, 15 Cathode, 16 Sealant, 17 Sealing substrate, 19 Partition opening, 21 Pixel circuit, 22 Select transistor, 23 Retention capacity, 24 Drive transistor, 25 organic electroluminescence device, 26 scanning line, 27 signal line, 28 power supply line, 32 active layer, 33 source, 34 drain, 35 gate insulating film, 36 gate electrode, 38 interlayer insulating film, 40 electrode pad, 41 Second interlayer insulating film, 42 pixel electrode, 51 first substrate, 52 second substrate, 53 conductive adhesive, 54 spacer, 55 insulating adhesive.

Claims (12)

  The first substrate on which the electro-optic element is formed and the second substrate on which the pixel circuit is formed are bonded so that the electro-optic element and the pixel circuit face each other, and the electro-optic element and the pixel circuit are electrically connected. In the electro-optical device connected to the electro-optical device, a spacer is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.   2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is a spherical or cylindrical particle.   3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are joined by an insulating adhesive containing the spacer. 4.   3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the electro-optical element and the pixel circuit are connected by a conductive adhesive, and the spacer is contained in the conductive adhesive. Electro-optic device.   5. The electro-optical device according to claim 4, wherein the spacer has conductivity.   2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is made of a photosensitive resin material and is formed at a predetermined position on one or both of the first substrate and the second substrate using photolithography. An electro-optical device.   2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is a reverse tapered partition wall provided on the first substrate so as to surround the electro-optical element.   3. The electro-optical device according to claim 2, wherein the spacer includes plastic as a main component.   9. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer and the electro-optical element are arranged so as not to have a portion overlapping in a normal direction of the first substrate. apparatus.   10. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the elements constituting the pixel circuit and the spacer are arranged so as not to have a portion overlapping in a normal direction of the second substrate. An electro-optical device.   11. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel circuit is composed of a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor.   An electronic apparatus comprising the electro-optical device according to claim 1.

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